Packaging expanded metal lath for shipment and improved shipping package of expanded metal lath



July 9, 1957 T. s. oKoNsKl 2,798,600 PACKAGING EXPANDED METAL LATH FOR SHIPMENT Ann IMPRovEn GE oF EXPANDED METAL LATH Filed Feb. 25. 1954 SHIPPING PACKA Inl/en for Theo dor S. O'lmski Uni-ted States Patent' PACKAGING EXPANDED METAL IJATH FOR SHIPMENT AND IMPROVED SHIPPING PACKAGE OF EXPANDED METAL LATI-l Application February 2 3, 1954, serial No. 411,932 1o claims. (c1. zoe- 60) This invention relates to packaging expanded metal lath for shipment and an improved shipping package of expanded metal lath.` The invention is in thenature of an improvement over the invention of-my Patent No. 2,677,323.

My above mentioned patent disclosesl the packaging for shipment of hundreds yof sheets of expandedimetal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of `approximately but not exactlythe samesize and shape so that when the sheets. are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but` form a loose pile by disposing the sheets atop one another to form .a pile, compressing the pile. substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greaterportion of the area `of thepile parallel to the sheets by the application of pressure of at least about two pounds per square inch and thereby reshaping the expanded metal andpressing the sheets into ,compacted intimate, relationship to cause certain of the strands and bonds of certain sheets `to intermesh with those of adjacent sheets `whereby to form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal-form and banding the pile while under such pressure to maintain the sheets in said relationship `to produce an easily handleable andstackable package. ,The vmethod of that patentrand the compressed packages of expanded metal lath produced `thereby have proven highly satisfao tory, there now being a widespread demand in the trade for expanded metal lath in `compressed packages.

The compressed lath package disclosed in my said patent'was made up by orienting all of the sheets of lath with their strands and bondsinclined in the same` direction. `This was done on the `theory that better nesting anda more tightly compacted'packagewould therebybe realized. Howevenja tendency existed for-the pile to tilt during formation of the package; also the mid portion ofthe pile tended to bulgeout laterally under theapplication of pressure. It was possible to counteract those tendencies bythe provision of-guidemeans engagingone or'moreof4 the generally verticalfaces of the pile during formation of the. package,lbut on occasion the packages were not of as nearly true rightrparallelepipedal form as wasfdesired. i i

`Lhave found that the disadvantages above referred to can beI obviated by `disposing the Sheetsiof expanded metal lath atop one anotherto forma pile with some of the sheets having their strands and bonds .inclined in one directionand other rof the sheets having their strands `and bonds inclined in thedirection opposite the first`- mentioned `direction.` While such an` arrangement gf the sheets "isfcontradictory to the arrangement previously deemed optimum lind thata'superiorcompressed lath e is thereby` produced with lessdiiculty'iinmanu- 'edin opposite vdirectitmsdo not nest to the same 4extent Vas when the` strands and bonds thereof `are` Vinclined inthe same direction, the tendency'of thepil'e to tilt-or bulge during formation is'obviated and a package While adjacent sheets Whose strands and 'boiids pf'rriore nearlyetruerightparallelepipedal form is produced. The package is of unprecedentedly uniform height with its `generally Vertical faces substantially truly planar and perpendicular to thetop and bottom faces of the package. Thus the package has advantages in handling and stacking; more of my improved packages can be stacked atop one another without tipping over than was the case with packages as disclosed in my said application. i

I find that adjacent sheets of my improved compressed lath package which have their strands and bonds inclined in Opposite directions are very slightly deformed by the pressure applied in forming the package so that they interfit to a considerable extent without any undesirable eifect. Indeed the slight cold working thus imparted to the lath has if anything a strengthening eiect and nowise adversely aifects the plaster-retaining characteristics of the lath.

I havealso foundthat when` compressed lath'packages are formed in accordance with my present invention greater pressure than was previously applied may be uti-- lized to advantage. I preferably compress the pile of sheets of expanded metal llath substantially perpendicular to the planes of -the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets by the application of pressure of at least about six pounds per square.inch.- lprefer to employ apressure of the order of fteen to twenty pounds per square inchv or more but advantages of Vthe invention are obtainable if a pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch is ernployed. The dimensions of the package produced are substantially the same as the'dimensions of the package produced according to the invention of -rny said patent although packagesproduced in` accordance with the present invention are more uniform and more nearly of true right parallelepipedal form.

In forming my compressed lath package I preferably Vdispose the sheets atop one another to form a pile with anplurality of adjacent sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and another plurality of adjacent sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in thefdirection opposite the first mentioneddirection. Desirably about one-half of the total numberof sheets have their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and the `remainder ofthe total number of sheets have their strands and bonds inclined in theopposite direction. I preferably arrange the sheets in groups of a plurality of sheets Veach with all of the sheets of each group having their strands and bonds inclined in the same direction, the groups being arranged with the direction of inclination of the strands and bonds alternating. I prefer to fasten together the sheets of each group to form a separately handleable bundle. The strands and bonds of the sheets of each group or bundle substantially nest.`

In the preferred practice of the invention I wire t0- gether `sheets of expanded metal lath in bundles, ten sheets to the bundle, all of the sheets of' each bundle having their strands and bonds inclined in the same direction, and I stack the bundles atop one another with the direction of inclination of the strands andbonds in successive bundles alternating. When the bundles are delivered by a continuous lath machine alternate bundles areiturned end for eind informing the pile of bundles which is to become the package. Normally a` package consists of fifty bundles of ten sheets each or a total of tive hundred sheets of expanded metal lath.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment of the invention and a preferred method of practicing the same proceeds.

- In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a present preferred embodiment of the inventionin which AFigure 1 is anisometricview of a compressed package of expanded metal lath made according to my present in- Y vention and Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view to greatly enlarged scale of the package shown in Figure l.

The package -shown in Figure l may comprise tive hundred sheets of expanded metal lath wired together in bundles of ten sheets each, the strands and bonds of all of the sheets of each bundle being inclined in the same direction. The sheet thickness lof each sheet is substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof. The bundles are disposed in the pile constituting the package with the direction of inclination of the strands and bonds in successive bundles alternating. Figure 2, which shows a portion of the package in end elevation, shows the bonds of the expanded metal in elevation substantially in the plane of the end face of the package with the strands receding at an angle from the bonds as is characteristic of expanded metal lath. The bonds arel designated by the heavy lines 2 in Figure 2 while the strands are shown at 3 receding from the bonds to join in other bonds relatively remote from the end face of the package. The openings in the sheets of expanded metal lath are of generally diamond shape as well known to those skilled in the art. For simplicity the drawings show the sheets of expanded metal lath as terminating in bonds at the ends thereof appearing in the drawings, but it is to be understood that such isfnot always the case.'

Figure 2 shows portions of six bundles of expanded metal lath respectively designated generally by the letters A, B, C, D, E and F. strands and bonds of the bundles A, C and E are inclined upwardly and toward the left while the strands and bonds of the bundles B, D and F are inclined upwardly and toward the right. The sheets of expanded metal lath in each bundle nest in the same manner as contemplated in my above mentioned application but the bottom sheet of one bundle and the top sheet of the bundle below it do not nest `in the same manner but are somewhat deformed when the' pile of sheets is compressed so that there is intertting even between those sheets. The tendency of the pile of sheets to tilt or bulge during formation of the package is obviated and a superior package is produced as explained above. The sheets of each bundle are wired together as known to those skilled in the art. Wires 8 wiringtog'ether the sheets of bundles C and D are shown in Figure 2.

The sheets forming the package are piled up in proper alignment and the pile is compressed substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout `at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets by the application of pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch whereby the sheets are pressed into intimate compacted relationship forming a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form. The pile is banded while under such pressure to maintain the sheets in said relationship to produce an easily handleable and stackable package.

The package may be compressed in a press `as disclosed in my said patent. Preferably in forming the pile which is to constitute the ultimate package I rst place a skid on the floor ofthe press, the skid comprising two boards 4 extending lengthwise of the package with their outer edges substantially flush with the side edges of the pile of sheets of expanded metal lath, The bundles of expanded metal lath are piled atop the skid as above described whereupon pressure is applied to the skid and the pile of bundles of lath to compress the same in the vertical direction, the pressure applied preferably being at least about six pounds per square inch. 'The application of pressure reduces the volume lof the pile at least about and normally about 331/3% or slightly more. The strands and bonds of thersheetsl of lath in each bundle nest as shown in Figure 2 and the strands and bonds of the bottom sheet of each bundle and those of the top sheet of the bundle below are somewhat deformed to In the end View of Figure 2 the 21 interfit without any adverse effect upon the lath. While holding the pressure on the pile the pile is banded. This is done by applying spreaders 5 to the bottoms of the boards 4 and spreaders 6 to the top of the pile and tightening steel bands 7 about the pile and against the spreaders 5 and 6. The steel bands 7 are tightened with a band applying tool in normal fashion, after which the pressure is relieved and the completed compressed package removed from the press. The floor of the press and the platen which engages the top of the pile during the application of pressure engage the boards 4 and the top of the pile respectively throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets but have cut out portions for receiving the spreaders S and 6 and the bands 7, enabling banding of the pile of sheets while under pressure. The technique employed in banding the compressed pile of sheets is the same as in my aforementioned patent.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention and `a present preferred method of practicing the same it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of packaging for shipment hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, comprising disposing the sheets atop one another to form a pile with some of the sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and other of the sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in the direction opposite said first mentioned direction, compressing the pile substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets by the application of pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch and pressing the sheets into intimate compacted relationship whereby to form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form and banding the pile while under such pressure to maintain the sheets in said relationship to produce an easily handleable and stackable package.

2. A method of packaging for shipment hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet vthickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, comprising disposing the sheets atop one another to form a pile with a plurality of adjacent sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and another plurality of adjacent sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in the direction opposite said tirst mentioned direction, compressing the pile substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets by the application of pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch and pressing the sheets into intimate compacted relationship whereby to form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form and banding the pile while under such pressure to maintain the sheets in said relationship to produce an easily handleable and stackable package.

3. A method of packaging for shipment hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately @aaneen but-not fexactly the samesize `and-shape soy that when thesheets are laid atop one another they do not'substantially nest but form a loose pile, the :sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, comprising disposing the sheets atop one another to form a pile with about one-half of the total number of sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and the remainder of the total number of sheetshaving their strands and bonds inclined in the direction opposite said Iirst mentioned direction, compressing the pile substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheetsl by the application of pressure of atleast about six pounds per square inch and pressing the, sheets into intimate compacted relationship whereby to form acompacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form'and banding the pile while under such pressureto maintain the sheets in said relationship to produce an easily' handleable and stackable package.

4. A method of packaging for shipment hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming opening of approximately Y but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, comprising disposing the sheets atop one another to form a pile with the sheets arranged in groups of a plurality of sheets each, all of the sheets of each group having their strands and bonds inclined in the same direction, the groups being arranged with the `direction of inclination of the strands and bonds alternating, compressing the pile substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets by the application of pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch and pressing the sheets into intimate compacted relationship whereby to form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form and banding the pile while under such pressure to maintain the sheets in said relationship to produce an easily handleable and stackable package.

5. A method of packaging for shipment hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, comprising disposing the sheets atop one another to form a pile with the sheets arranged in groups of a plurality of sheets each, all of the sheets of each group having their strands and bonds inclined in the same direction and being fastened together to form a separately handleable bundle, the groups being arranged with the direction of inclination of the strands and bonds alternating, compressing the pile substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets by the application of pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch and pressing the sheets into intimate compacted relationship with the strands and bonds of the sheets of each group substantially nested whereby to form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form and banding the pile while under such pressure to maintain the sheets in said relationship to produce an easily handleable and stackable package.

6. An improved shipping package of expanded metal lath comprising hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size andsltapertsolth'at when the sheets are laidu atop one another" they dol not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantiallythe sameA at portions of thesheet adjacent all edges thereof, the sheets being disposed atop one anotherwith some of `the sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and other of the sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in thewdirection opposite said first mentioned direction, the pile being under pressure of at least about `six pounds per square inch substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least thel greater portion of the area of the pile parallelto thelsheets `so that the sheets lie in intimate compacted relationship and form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form, and means binding together intoan easily handleable and stackable package the sheetsV of `said pile.`

7. An improved shipping package of expanded metal lath comprising hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, the sheets being disposed atop one another with a plurality of adjacent sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and another plurality of adjacent sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in the direction opposite said first mentioned direction, the pile being under pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets so that the sheets lie in intimate compacted relationship and form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form, and means binding together into an easily handleable and stackable package the sheets of said pile.

8. An improved shipping package of expanded metal lath comprising hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, the sheets being `disposed atop one another with about one-half of the total number of sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in one direction and the remainder of the total number of sheets having their strands and bonds inclined in the direction opposite said irst mentioned direction, the pile being under pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets so that the sheets lie inintimate compacted relationship and form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form, and means binding together into an easily handleable and stackable package the sheets of said pile.

9. An improved shipping package of expanded metal lath comprising hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edge thereof, the sheets being disposed atop one another with the sheets arranged in groups of a plurality of sheets each, all of the sheets of each group having their strands and bonds inclined in the same direction, the groups being arranged with the direction of inclination of the strands and bonds alternating, the pile being under pressure of at least about six pounds per square inch substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pileV parallel to the sheets so that the sheets lie in intimate compacted relationship and form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form, and means binding together into an yeasily handleable and stackable package the sheets of said pile.

10. An improved shipping package of expanded metal lath comprising hundreds of sheets of expanded metal lath respectively comprising strands and bonds forming openings of approximately but not exactly the same size and shape so that when the sheets are laid atop one another they do not substantially nest but form a loose pile, the sheet thickness of each sheet being substantially the same at portions of the sheet adjacent all edges thereof, the sheets being disposed atop one another with the sheets arranged in groups of a plurality of sheets each, all of the sheets of each group having their strands and bonds inclined in the same direction, and

being fastened together to form a separately handleable bundle, the groups being arranged with the direction of inclination of the strands and bonds alternating, the pile being under pressure of at least about 'six pounds per square inch substantially perpendicular to the planes of the sheets throughout at least the greater portion of the area of the pile parallel to the sheets so that the sheets lie in intimate compacted relationship and form a compacted pile of generally right parallelepipedal form, and means binding together into an easily handleable and stackable package the sheets of said pile.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 748,999 Stockman Jan. 5, 1904 1,829,796 Gosch Nov. 3, 1931 2,012,220 Chambers Aug. 20, 1935 2,659,187 Barnes Nov. 17, 1953 2,677,323 OKonski May 4, 1954 

